Manitoba RCMP, along with other police forces from across the country, are in Gillam, Man., on July 26, 2019 where they continue their hunt for wanted fugitives Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky, both from Port Alberni, in connection to three killings in northern B.C. (Manitoba RCMP/Twitter)

Photo spreading online is not B.C. fugitive Kam McLeod: RCMP

Kam McLeod, Bryer Schmegelsky are at the centre of a nationwide manhunt after three killings in B.C.

A photo circulating online of a man that looks strikingly similar to B.C. fugitive Kam McLeod is not the alleged killer, Manitoba RCMP have confirmed.

The photo, which is a screenshot of a Snapchat sent sometime Thursday, has spread rapidly across social media. It shows a young man holding a copy of the Winnipeg Sun with large images of suspected killers McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky.

The two Port Alberni men are wanted in connection to the killing of Vancouver’s Leonard Dyck, whose body was found at a Highway 37 pullout near Dease Lake on July 19, and in connection to the July 15 shooting deaths of tourist couple Chynna Deese and Lucas Fowler along the Alaska Highway in northern B.C.

However, the circulating photo – although bearing an uncanny resemblance to McLeod, is someone else.

UPDATE: @rcmpmb confirm this is NOT Kam McLeod. “We can confirm that the current photo circulating online of a man posing with the front page of yesterday’s paper IS NOT one of our suspects.” https://t.co/HXeEhWN9o8

“We can confirm that the current photo circulating online of a man posing with the front page of yesterday’s paper IS NOT one of our suspects,” Manitoba RCMP said in a tweet on Friday morning.

“Our officers are working diligently to find these suspects and we will release updates as soon as we have concrete, confirmed information to share. We understand many people are experiencing fear and uncertainty over this incident but spreading online rumours doesn’t help.”

A nationwide manhunt is underway for McLeod and Schmegelsky. Investigators believe the pair have been in the remote area of northern Manitoba since Monday, based on reports of two confirmed sightings as well as the discovery of a burned-out SUV driven by the pair.